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Academic Success & Accessibility

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Image of Mackenzie Merja

Mackenzie Merja
Director of Academic Success & Accessibility

Ph: (406) 771-4311

F: (406) 771-4342

Email

Location: 1104, Weaver Library

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Prospective Students Transitioning to College

Students with disabilities are entitled to accommodations in school, be it K-12 or post-secondary education. However, the nature and delivery of those accommodations, as well as the distribution of responsibility, differ significantly between high school and college. If you have a disability and are transitioning from high school into the college setting, you are strongly encouraged to investigate your college-of-choice鈥檚 services for students with disabilities. At At 黑料网911 MSU, services are coordinated through the office of Academic Success and Accessibility. For more information about what students with disabilities need to know about transitioning to college, please see the link below: Listed below is a partial list of disabilities typically identified by students:
  • Acquired Brain Injuries/Traumatic Brain Injuries
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Blindness and Visual Impairments
  • Chronic Health Impairments
  • Communication Impairments/Speech & Language Disorders
  • Deafness and Hard of Hearing
  • Intellectual Disabilities
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Mobility Impairments
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Psychiatric Disabilities (Depression, Bi-polar, Anxiety, etc.)/ Psychological Disorders
  • Temporary Disabilities such as broken limbs
Students with disabilities who may wish to use accommodations during their education are encouraged to register in the early stages of their college planning with the office of Academic Success and Accessibility. This is separate process from the Admissions process.
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Eligibility The definition of a disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one of more major life activities.听 These include, but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working. Civil rights laws protect students with disabilities from discrimination. The ADA and Section 504 protections also extend to students who have a record of or are regarded as having such an impairment, even if no such impairment currently exists. Students with disabilities at At 黑料网911 have a right to reasonable accommodations in order to fully participate in the postsecondary educational experience. Students with disabilities are encouraged to advocate for themselves to the extent possible, and the office of Academic Success and Accessibility provides support and assistance in determining what accommodations are best suited to each individual. Students needing accommodations must apply for services through the office of Academic Success and Accessibility and be determined eligible. Students with disabilities who may wish to use accommodations during their education are encouraged to register in the early stages of their college planning with the Director. Although students can request services at any time, please remember that services are not retroactive. Students who apply for services will need to meet with the Director to discuss support services and accommodations. This is separate process from the Admissions process. It is the student鈥檚 responsibility to initiate the request for services. Students requesting accommodations must meet with the Director of听Academic Success and Accessibility听to determine appropriate accommodations. Appropriate documentation of disability will be reviewed by the Director and accommodations will be determined based upon the students鈥� self-report and appropriate documentation of the disability. Together, the Director and the student will determine reasonable accommodations based upon the impact of the student鈥檚 disability. Students needing classroom accommodations will need to get Request for Classroom Accommodation forms from the Director听each semester听for each instructor. Documentation Because modification requests are individualized based upon each student鈥檚 disability, it is necessary to establish not only the existence but the functional impact of the condition on the student in an academic setting. While much of this information can often be obtained through a structured interview with the student, documentation from a qualified professional is an essential factor in determining reasonable modification with each student. Appropriate documentation should substantiate the disability and present evidence to establish the need for modification. Suggested types of documentation include medical records, psycho-educational testing, and school records. In most cases, documentation should come from an impartial, qualified health care provider who is involved with the diagnosis and/or treatment of the student鈥檚 condition. The documentation should indicate the student鈥檚 most recent diagnosis and should reflect the student鈥檚 current level of impairment and functional limitations due to the disability. If the student鈥檚 medications or treatment has a functional impact that may affect his or her ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment, the documentation should indicate this. Documentation should include recommendations for modifications in the educational setting. When a student鈥檚 condition or its impact changes, he or she must provide the Director with an updated version of the documentation. An individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan, may help identify services that have been effective for you. Because of the differences between postsecondary education and high school education, Disability Services will make final determination of whether appropriate and reasonable modifications are warranted and can be provided to the individual.
Authorization for Release and Exchange of Information Form

Students with disabilities are entitled to accommodations in school, be it K-12 (public) or post-secondary education. However the nature and delivery of those accommodations, as well as the distribution of responsibility, differ significantly between high school and college. The following links illustrates some of these differences:

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Difference 1: IDEA/ADA and Section 504

High School:听IDEA and Section 504 are the laws that mandate “free and appropriate public education” for all K-12 students, no matter what the ability level; education at this level is a right听

College:听The ADA and Section 504 guarantee equal access to post-secondary education by requiring “reasonable accommodations” to college students who are “otherwise qualified” as a student; education at this level is a privilege

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Difference 2: Qualification

High School:听The only qualification for public education is age; students with disabilities may qualify for special education听

College:听“Otherwise qualified” students must meet all entrance and academic progress requirements with or without reasonable accommodation; there is no “special education” in college

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Difference 3: Accommodations

High School:听In order to meet the “free and appropriate public education” requirements, educational standards may be compromised by making such accommodations as shortening assignments, allowing students to use notes, books or other resources on tests when other students may not, or taking untimed tests听

College:听No accommodation at the post-secondary level may reduce standards or in any way compromise the integrity of the course; accommodations must be deemed reasonable, and agreed upon by the student, the DS provider and the instructor; e.g. extended time for tests may be a reasonable accommodation, but untimed tests is not reasonable

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Difference 4: Notification of Disability

High School:听Accommodations are driven by the Child Study Team, consisting of teachers, counselors, school psychologists, parents and the student, which develops an IEP or 504 Plan听

College:听There is no team, no plan, no notification of instructors except by the student, and parents are not involved in any way except at the written request of the student

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Difference 5: Placement/Intergration

High School:听Various levels of placement are available with varying levels of integration into the regular classroom; the student’s “team” determines which placement is the “least restrictive environment” (required by IDEA)听

College:听Full integration with or without reasonable accommodations is the only option

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Difference 6: A Student’s Plan / Request

High School:听A student’s plan, academic history and needs are shared with all teachers before s/he enters the class听

College:听Instructors will only be contacted by the college at the request of the student, and this request must be made for each instructor, for each course and renewed each semester; students may decline accommodations they do not need or want

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Difference 7: Waivers

High School:听Some graduation requirements may be waived if the student’s disability specifically interferes with his/her ability to successfully complete that subject or class听

College:听Many colleges and/or programs have a process in place to determine eligibility for course substitutions when a student’s disability affects that subject (e.g. foreign language), but waivers are not an option

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Difference 8: Personal Care Services

High School:听Public schools must provide assessment services, physical, speech or other therapy, or personal care services needed while the student is in school听

College:听Personal care, medical, psychological and/or therapeutic services and other non-academic needs are the responsibility of the student

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Difference 9: Information Disclosure

High School:听Teachers may be provided with educational information about a student’s disability, or they may be expected to learn as much as they can about their student’s disability听

College:听The only information instructors are given by the college is what accommodations are appropriate, and then, only when requested by the student to do so; students may choose to disclose information about their disability, but instructors may not ask students about their condition, nor are they expected to gather information or “be informed”

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Difference 10: Responsibility for Determination of Disability

High School:听The primary responsibility for identification, assessment (as appropriate) and determination of disability and for requesting accommodations is on the school听

College:听The primary responsibility for identification, assessment and determination of disability and for requesting accommodations is on the student

If you have a disability and are transitioning from high school into the college setting, you are strongly encouraged to investigate your college-of-choice’s services for students with disabilities. Most colleges have a process in place for arranging accommodations for students with disabilities; some processes are centralized through a disability services office, while others are decentralized, with departments and programs making those arrangements.